LTTE willing to befriend Karunanidhi

In an effort to mend fences with India in the context of its growing international isolation, the LTTE has not only expressed "deep regret" over the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, but has also extended a "hand of friendship" to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

While the LTTE's chief spokesman Anton Balasingham told NDTV in London on Monday, that India should be "magnanimous", put the past behind, and play an active role in restoring peace in Sri Lanka, the outfit's political commissar, SP Tamilselvan, told the Singapore-based daily Tamil Murasu that it was ready to extend a hand of friendship to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

"If one looks at it from one's individual interest, there will be no close relations between the LTTE and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. But looking at it from the point of view of the people's welfare, we will surely extend a hand of friendship," Tamilselvan said.

The chief of the political wing, said that the atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces against the Tamil minority had created a wave of sympathy among Tamils in all parts of the world, including Tamil Nadu.

"Conditions have made the Tamil Nadu government join the voices in our support," Tamilselvan said.

When Tamil Murasu asked him to comment on LTTE chief Prabhakaran's statement that he was ready to go to India to have peace talks, Tamilselvan said that so long as the LTTE was banned in India, going to that country was not possible.

"But conditions may change," he added.

Tamilselvan pointed out that the media of the majority Sinhala community in Sri Lanka had been saying that the Sri Lankan government was acting against the Tamils with the support of India.

He appealed to India to recognise the Tamil liberation struggle led by the LTTE and give it "moral support".